Eastern Shore Chapel Joins "Believe Out Loud"

During my approximately two year period as an Episcopalian I attended Eastern Shore Chapel in Virginia Beach, an old and historic Episcopal parish that I had come to know through my children attending its pre-school. Later, through several coincidences, I ended up joining First Lutheran Church in Norfolk once I had moved to Norfolk. While attending Eastern Shore Chapel I found the clergy to be wonderfully supportive once I had shared "my secret" with them. Obviously, a far cry from the message I would have received from my former Roman Catholic parish. Now, Eastern Shore Chapel has formally approved a statement called "Believe Out Loud" that welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in its congregation. I know many LGBT Christians who are seeking a church home and for those in Virginia Beach based on my own experience and this new action, I would recommend readers give this wonderful parish a try. Here are some highlights from the Virginian Pilot:
*
An Episcopal church in Virginia Beach is the only one in the region and one of two in the state to join a national group calling for full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church.
*
Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church on Laskin Road recently formed a chapter of the Episcopal group Integrity. Last month, the church's vestry also approved a statement called "Believe Out Loud" that welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in its congregation.
*
"Words are great, but you've got to put some action to the words," said the Rev. Chris Thompson, the rector at Eastern Shore Chapel. "The time was appropriate so we're going full speed ahead." Acceptance is not new, however, for the Episcopal Church. In 1976, its General Convention passed a resolution saying gay and lesbian people are "children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church."
*
[N]o one in the congregation has complained about the church's movement toward publicly accepting the LGBT community, church staff members said. There are some in the approximately 1,300-member congregation who don't agree, but they're willing to co-exist, said Kay O'Reilly, a staff member who helped push the church to form an Integrity chapter. "From the pulpit, they have heard time and time again, part of our baptismal covenant is to respect the dignity of every human being," said Bryan Mitnaul, the church's music director, who also has pushed for the public stance.

*

Oh, and the last time I spoke with someone from the parish, the said that their accepting policies had INCREASED church membership, not decreased it.